South Africa has a population density of 136.7 people per square mile compared to 592 people in Switzerland. South Africa has 205,338 sq ft of land per person vs 49,190 sq ft in Switzerland. In the list of countries ranked from the most to the least densely populated, South Africa and Switzerland are ranked 136th and 51st, respectively.
Population density is calculated as the ratio of population to land area. South Africa has 0.79% of the world's population and 0.81% of the land area of all countries, compared to 0.11% of the population and 0.03% of the land area for Switzerland, hence the population density in South Africa is 76.9% lower than in Switzerland.
Population density comparison
South Africa
|
Switzerland
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 136.7 ppl/mi² | 592 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 136/197 | 51/197 |
| Population |
65314246
|
9112950
|
| Land area | 468,377 sq mi | 15,255 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 204,002 sq ft | 47,075 sq ft |
| Rural population | 30.7% | 25.7% |
| Urban population | 69.3% | 74.3% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 14.8% | 0% |
South Africa vs Switzerland:
Population density chart by year
From 2004 to 2024, population density in South Africa increased by 30.6%, compared to a 22.3% growth in Switzerland.
In 2004, South Africa ranked 132nd for population density and is in 136th place now. Switzerland was 44th in 2004 and ranks 51st out of 197 currently.
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
|
South Africa
|
Switzerland
|
|
| 2024 | 136.7 | 592 |
| 2023 | 135 | 583 |
| 2022 | 133.2 | 575 |
| 2021 | 131.3 | 571 |
| 2020 | 129.3 | 566 |
| 2019 | 127.2 | 562 |
| 2018 | 125.1 | 558 |
| 2017 | 123.1 | 554 |
| 2016 | 122.3 | 549 |
| 2015 | 121.1 | 543 |
| 2014 | 118.7 | 537 |
| 2013 | 116.7 | 530 |
| 2012 | 114.8 | 524 |
| 2011 | 113.1 | 519 |
| 2010 | 111.8 | 513 |
| 2009 | 110.4 | 508 |
| 2008 | 109.1 | 501 |
| 2007 | 107.9 | 495 |
| 2006 | 106.7 | 491 |
| 2005 | 105.7 | 487 |
| 2004 | 104.6 | 484 |
| 2003 | 103.5 | 481 |
| 2002 | 102.5 | 477 |
| 2001 | 101.6 | 474 |
| 2000 | 100.7 | 471 |
| 1999 | 99.8 | 468 |
| 1998 | 98.7 | 466 |
| 1997 | 97.5 | 464 |
| 1996 | 96.3 | 463 |
| 1995 | 95.1 | 461 |
| 1994 | 94 | 458 |
| 1993 | 92.4 | 455 |
| 1992 | 90.6 | 450 |
| 1991 | 89 | 446 |
| 1990 | 87 | 440 |
| 1989 | 84.6 | 436 |
| 1988 | 82.2 | 432 |
| 1987 | 79.7 | 429 |
| 1986 | 77.2 | 426 |
| 1985 | 74.8 | 424 |
| 1984 | 72.4 | 422 |
| 1983 | 69.9 | 421 |
| 1982 | 67.5 | 419 |
| 1981 | 65.2 | 416 |
| 1980 | 63 | 414 |
| 1979 | 61.1 | 412 |
| 1978 | 59.5 | 412 |
| 1977 | 57.9 | 412 |
| 1976 | 56.4 | 413 |
| 1975 | 54.9 | 415 |
| 1974 | 53.4 | 416 |
| 1973 | 51.9 | 413 |
| 1972 | 50.4 | 410 |
| 1971 | 49 | 407 |
| 1970 | 47.6 | 405 |
| 1969 | 46.1 | 402 |
| 1968 | 44.7 | 398 |
| 1967 | 43.4 | 393 |
| 1966 | 42 | 388 |
| 1965 | 40.8 | 384 |
| 1964 | 39.5 | 379 |
| 1963 | 38.3 | 373 |
| 1962 | 37.2 | 365 |
| 1961 | 36.1 | 356 |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
South Africa
|
Switzerland
|
|
| 2024 | 69.3% | 74.3% |
| 2023 | 68.8% | 74.2% |
| 2022 | 68.3% | 74.1% |
| 2021 | 67.8% | 74% |
| 2020 | 67.4% | 73.9% |
| 2019 | 66.9% | 73.8% |
| 2018 | 66.4% | 73.8% |
| 2017 | 65.8% | 73.8% |
| 2016 | 65.3% | 73.7% |
| 2015 | 64.8% | 73.7% |
| 2014 | 64.3% | 73.7% |
| 2013 | 63.8% | 73.7% |
| 2012 | 63.3% | 73.7% |
| 2011 | 62.7% | 73.6% |
| 2010 | 62.2% | 73.6% |
| 2009 | 61.7% | 73.6% |
| 2008 | 61.2% | 73.6% |
| 2007 | 60.6% | 73.5% |
| 2006 | 60.1% | 73.5% |
| 2005 | 59.5% | 73.5% |
| 2004 | 59% | 73.5% |
| 2003 | 58.4% | 73.4% |
| 2002 | 57.9% | 73.4% |
| 2001 | 57.4% | 73.4% |
| 2000 | 56.9% | 73.4% |
| 1999 | 56.4% | 73.4% |
| 1998 | 55.9% | 73.5% |
| 1997 | 55.4% | 73.5% |
| 1996 | 55% | 73.6% |
| 1995 | 54.5% | 73.7% |
| 1994 | 54% | 73.7% |
| 1993 | 53.5% | 73.8% |
| 1992 | 53% | 73.8% |
| 1991 | 52.6% | 73.9% |
| 1990 | 52% | 73.9% |
| 1989 | 51.5% | 74% |
| 1988 | 51% | 74% |
| 1987 | 50.4% | 74.1% |
| 1986 | 49.9% | 74.2% |
| 1985 | 49.4% | 74.2% |
| 1984 | 49.1% | 74.3% |
| 1983 | 48.9% | 74.3% |
| 1982 | 48.8% | 74.4% |
| 1981 | 48.6% | 74.5% |
| 1980 | 48.4% | 74.5% |
| 1979 | 48.3% | 74.4% |
| 1978 | 48.3% | 74.4% |
| 1977 | 48.2% | 74.3% |
| 1976 | 48.2% | 74.3% |
| 1975 | 48.1% | 74.2% |
| 1974 | 48% | 74.2% |
| 1973 | 48% | 74.1% |
| 1972 | 47.9% | 74% |
| 1971 | 47.9% | 74% |
| 1970 | 47.8% | 73.8% |
| 1969 | 47.7% | 73.6% |
| 1968 | 47.6% | 73.3% |
| 1967 | 47.5% | 73% |
| 1966 | 47.4% | 72.7% |
| 1965 | 47.2% | 72.4% |
| 1964 | 47.1% | 72.1% |
| 1963 | 47% | 71.8% |
| 1962 | 46.9% | 71.5% |
| 1961 | 46.8% | 71.2% |
| 1960 | 46.6% | 70.9% |
From 2004 to 2024 share of the urban population changed from 59% to 69.3% in South Africa and from 73.5% to 74.3% in Switzerland.
Densely populated cities
|
South Africa
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| Johannesburg | 4.43M |
| Cape Town | 3.78M |
| Soweto | 1.27M |
| Pietermaritzburg | 839K |
| Pretoria | 742K |
| Durban | 595K |
| Rustenburg | 550K |
| Randburg | 337K |
| Port Elizabeth | 312K |
| East London | 267K |
|
Switzerland
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| Zurich | 449K |
| Geneva | 207K |
| Basel | 176K |
| Bern | 146K |
| Lausanne | 144K |
| Winterthur | 119K |
| Biel/Bienne | 55.9K |
Compare countries by 7 more topics
Population density in other countries
people per square mile
Population density
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